Light In Dark Places
by rokureader180
Summary: Sentaro, a youth raised in a small mountain town, who made a choice, to become a shinigami. Little did he know this would throw him into a life he never thought possible. One of Power, Blood, Love, Redemption. Will Sentaro make it in this crazy world he has thrown himself head first into, or will he rise above all opposition to take his chance at greatness.


A/N: Finally a re-done first chapter. Hope ya'll like it.

Sentaro didn't know why he'd done it, to up and join Shin'o academy like that. He'd just done it on a whim. He never really thought these things out, but now that he was here, for bad or ill he was determined to see it through. Growing up in the Rukongai's 3rd district, there was little else to do but work and read. Whenever his family would head into town, eventually he would sneak off to the city archive. He spent his youth reading books about famous shinigami and decided in the spur of the moment he wanted to try and be a shinigami of the Gotei 13. At first he did not even know if he was able to become a shinigami, however having passed the entrance test, those doubts were quickly laid to rest.

It was the first day of course, and all of the new students were in the lecture hall. The day previous everyone here had taken the entrance test which determined whether they were eligible to be a shinigami, due to its specific requirements. They had tested him both mentally and physically and now Sentaro found himself in a giant lecture hall with all of the people that had passed along with him the day before. From eavesdropping on the conversations around him, he realized not one of them had any knowledge on why they had been told to come here. The hall was cacophony of voices and chatter, it irritated him, he who was used to the quiet solitude of the archive with its quiet atmosphere, felt uncomfortable around all this...noise. For the briefest of moments he considered leaving, but he quickly dismissed this thought, he'd come to far already to turn away.

He came out of his thoughts long enough to realize the room of people had gone quiet. He looked around and saw everyone else's eyes toward the front of the room. Following everyone else's gaze he looked toward a modest podium at center stage. On the podium was none other then Gengoro Onabara, the Chief Instructor and Head of Shin'o, and behind him were people whom Sentaro could only assume were other instructors .

"Everyone settle down and take a seat, I am Gengoro Onabara, but you may all call me Onabara-sensei. Welcome, to Shin'o Academy, over the next six years you will learn what it truly means to be "shinigami." Here you will learn to find your niche to determine what you do and where you will go after this. All of you by virtue of being in this room have demonstrated, to some extent, that you have some sort of spiritual power, and because of that, you all have potential. But a word of advice to you all, and remember these words, for they will become your maxim and code to live, fight and if neccessary die by. Do not seek beauty in battle. Do not seek virtue in death. Do not make the mistake of considering only your own life. If you wish to protect that which you must protect...slice the enemy you must defeat from behind. Look around you ladies and gentlemen, in this very room, could be the next 4th Division Taichou or the next Kenpachi, *chuckle* which is a very sinister thought indeed. And now, I'm sure your all wondering, why your are here in this room this morning. Well, that is because you are going to be placed in your respective classes right now which are based on your reiryoku."

A collective gasp took the room. "Recent studies done by 12th Squad have shown that reiryoku can be measured in a very effective and visible way, resisting another person reiatsu. So, all of you will come up to one of the instructors around me, and be tested and then you will receive your class designation."

Sentaro looked around the room some people, he observed, looked visibly ill at the prospect of being asked to preform in front of so many people, others looked pompous and confident that they would out preform. And Sentaro, he simply didn't care. Sure he was nervous, but if any of the books he read held any truth in them, then his reiryoku would grow the longer and harder he trained, this test was nothing more than a measure of what your already had. Everyone watched as the first group came up. A few managed to hold their ground albeit almost having a stroke, fewer had passed through almost unscathed except for the profuse sweating, however most just collapsed all together, completely overcome by an invisible force.

After the first few groups a routine begin to form, sometimes there were people who had an easier time and they were ushered over to a small area to the side of the stage while others, who looked like they didn't even put up any resistance at all and were overcome were put in a much larger group. Finally it came time for Sentaro to have his turn. Pulling his hands out of his pockets, still uncomfortable with being surrounded by all the people, he strolled up the steps to the stage to stand in front a man about his height wearing a black shihakusho staring down at a clipboard.

"Name?" the man asked.

"Kisaki, Sentaro." he replied.

"Very well, prepare yourself." the man responded, almost as if the tedium of testing new students was a bothersome task.

"'Kay." Sentaro said steeling himself for the invisible onslaught.

Moments passed and the two just stared at each other. Sentaro just looked at him staring right at him. The man blinked at him, and Sentaro looked right back. "I'm ready when you are sensei." Sentaro asked.

"I...I am... well, I suppose I am using a small amount," the man said scratching his head thoroughly suprised, "you may be a bit more advanced then the others, not that this is a bad thing, how about...Now." he said, as if this development slightly intersted him.

Sentaro looked at the man and blinked 'Is he joking with me?' "Hey, I don't know if your playing with me sensei, but its getting old." When the man didn't respond and looked like he was concentrating even more, a small vein popping on his forehead; Sentaro started to get annoyed and he was known to have a disrespectful side when annoyed and a familar flare welled up in his stomach and he then spoke with a even tone. "Stop messin' around wi-"

"Stop it!" The shinigami-instructor yelled. The entire room was now looking at them. Every single student and instructor had eyes only for him and the slightly flustered instructor. Onabara-sensei walked over to the man.

"Sabo, calm yourself, what is the meaning of this outburst?" He calmly asked.

"It's this kid!" Sabo started irritated by this point, "He isn't responding to any of my spiritual pressure, even at its full strength. And then he started exerting his pressure on me!" At this point every eye in the room was focused on Sentaro. Sentaro looked at Onabara-sensei and saw him staring at him thoughtfully.

"Very well, Sabo, let me have this one." then he took a hushed tone and told him "Go sit down, the way you're frustrated right now you're liable to use full force on the next student and send them into cardiac arrest, besides... I have a feeling about this one." Sabo looked at the older man and just nodded. And left the stage. Onabara just looked around the room and saw everyone staring at them. "Well? What are you all staring at? Don't tell me I'll have to teach you all proper manners along with your studies." At that, everyone either tried to focus on another random object in the room or went back to preparing for when they went on stage.

'Well to be fair,' Sentaro thought "The sensei's' were staring too.' but he didn't bother to say that to the lead instructor. Onabara looked up from the clipboard.

"So, your Kisake Sentaro, well met I suppose, and by now I am sure beyond any doubt you know who I am?"

After a few moments of silence, and looking at Sentaro expectantly Sentaro could tell he wanted an answer.

"Y-yes sir?"

"Well that's good, at least I didn't have to tell you I wanted an answer, now we come to the matter at hand, and I need you to be honest with me right now, how did you feel when Mishu-sensei was testing you?"

He asked, taking a serious tone towards the end.

"I...well, I didn't feel anything. It was like he wasn't even doing anything at all."

Sentaro answered trying to be as honest as possible.

"Not a thing? Not even a gentle breeze? These are important things that could seriously affect the outcome of this test, so I'd choose your next words carefully with thought."

Sentaro thought back to a few minutes ago trying to remember anything of what Sensei was talking about, finally after a minute he answered. "No Sensei, I didn't feel anything."

Onabara looked at him, raised his eyebrows, and went "Humph. We shall see... well, what are you waiting for, prepare yourself." Shocked out of his reverie, Sentaro assumed what he thought seemed a concentrated and guarded stance. The next instant Sentaro feel a cool breeze tickle his cheek and he touched it quickly on response, startled by the sensation. "How about then?"

"I felt a breeze just now Sensei."

Sentaro replied surprised he felt something at all.

The older man smiled a sweet smile, like something had just brought great joy to him. "Good." "How about now?" he said calmly.

Sentaro had to brace himself in that instant, the air had suddenly turned thick and he had to think about every breath he made, not that it was an effort, but it was rather annoying and every gulp of air felt like thick plasma. "The.. the air..it feels thick?"

"That's wonderful we are making progress. I think this should do it."

He said jovially. Sentaro didn't even have a chance, his knees buckled under a weight that the thick air around him didn't have just a moment before, he could scarcely breath now and his eyes went wide with fear. He stared at the smiling older man with a pleading gaze, then the weight was gone and all was back to normal. He gasped air into his lungs and staggered to his feet. "Well now, I do think we've found your limit hahahaa!" The older man laughed cheerfully. After a few moments Sentaro had regained enough composure to speak.

"Sensei, that feeling...it was..."

Sentaro said still trying to regain his normal breathing, feeling a bit overwhelmed. He was so floored at what had just happened he needed time to collect his wits.

"Terrible? All-consuming? You felt like you were helplessly trapped?"

Onabara-sensei finished for him.

"Yes"

"That," he said matter-of-factly "is what it feels like when facing an opponent far outstripping you in raw power, however, sometimes that is not always the deciding factor in who wins or loses, as you will come to find out." He answered politely still smiling. He then turned, addressing all the students. "Once you have received your class, you may go to your dorm and do as you please for the rest of the day, no doubt you, all are exhausted." There was a suddenly roar of talking as students discussed the events that had happened and among that talk was the guy who Onabara-sensei took with him. Onabara turned to walk away, when Sentaro remember he forgot to ask the most important question, the reason he and everyone else was here in the first place.

"Onabara-sensei!" he called out.

Onabara stopped and turned to look at him "Yes?"

"What class am I in?" Sentaro asked.

"Hahahahaha!" Onabara laughed long and hard which thoroughly puzzled Sentaro and finally said to him "We will talk tomorrow, until then get some rest, you will surely need it." Then Onabara turned and walked out of the lecture hall.

'Talk tomorrow?'

Sentaro mused to himself 'whatever that means.' He went to leave and a couple people tried to stop and ask him questions but he shrugged them off, he wasn't trying to offend anyone but he just wasn't a social person. He silently made his way back to his dorm room and after making sure everything was clean he pulled his blanket out and covered up to go to sleep.

Sentaro awoke the next morning to the sound banging on his door and stumbled out of bed looking at the clock, it was four in the morning. Sentaro staggered to the door opening it, there stood none other the Onabara-sensei.

"Ahh Sentaro, you're awake."

"Onabara-sensei...do you know what time it is?" Sentaro groggily replied.

"I did tell you to get some rest, hurry you shouldn't be late to our first lesson."

After 10 minutes, Sentaro was ready and started down the hallway with Onabara Sensei. It was quiet until Sentaro broke the silence as they near the exit of the dorms.

"What are we going to start with Sensei?" Sentaro inquired.

"We are going to start in zanjutsu, a very important subject due to its practical use as a Shinigami, and also I feel it does one well to have a good spar in the morning, wouldn't you agree?"

"So Sensei, where exactly are we going?"

"To get your bokken, the most essential tool of a first-year student. It will act as your weapon until you recieve your Asauchi." The older man answered.

They were walking away from the dorms across the commons of the Academy towards a complex situated near the back, which was situated against a forest.

"Umm sensei, what's an Asauchi?" Sentaro asked confused.

"My you are full of questions Kisaki," Onabara said, Sentaro blushed, " but one cannot learn if one does not ask questions. An Asauchi is a "base zanpakuto" if you forgive the term. Now I'm going to tell you something you didn't know you wanted to know. The zanpakuto of low-ranking shinigami are called Asauchi and do not have names, but the zanpakuto of stronger shinigami do have names, but it is also used to describe zanpakutos who haven't been given to a shinigami, if not being called zanpakutos. When I say "names" I mean it in a very general way. Every zanpakuto is unique Sentaro, but it is only realized when the right amount of spiritual energy is present in it's wielder. To stronger shinigami the swords are reflections of that shinigami's power and soul, and sentient beings unto themselves. Do you understand?"

"I... I think I do. What do you mean when you say they're sentient sensei?"

Onabara chuckled then answered," The beings inside the zanpakutos are living spirits which empower the blade and lend their strength to the shinigami who wields them. These beings can vary greatly in appearance, and have their own distinct personalities, which compliment their wielders'." After finishing he continued ",well usually."

"Yes but if that's true, how do you know they're sentient and not our own innate powers?" Sentaro asked quickly.

"Slow down, I'm getting to that part. Once you get into the bulk of your studies you will include meditation. Only through self-understanding and attunement can you final "hear" your zanpakuto. And once you hear it, you strive to understand them and when they feel as though you understand them, they will tell you their name."

Sentaro slowed slightly," What if you don't hear anything, I mean, after all the meditation?"

Onabara slowed to match Sentaro's gait," It takes years, decades, and sometimes centuries, for people to hear their zanpakuto, and if you lack spiritual pressure or cannot understand your own spirit, sometimes you go a lifetime."

"That's...disheartening." Sentaro said with worry, but then eager to change the subject continued his questioning. "When will I start learning Kido?"

"I wouldn't worry about that quite yet haha."

"Why not, I have the reiatsu to do it. I know I do after all the fuss in training me. I really want to learn the Demon Arts, I mean what good is thi-"

Just as he was about to enter the main building of the complex Sentaro trailed off because he noticed that Onabara sensei had stopped and his usual smile was replace with a grimace. "Sensei?"

"Sentaro...what you displayed yesterday was nothing short of prodigal. I can tell you this because I personally trained Kaien Shiba, and had the immense pleasure of training Gin Ichimaru. Both of them made Taichou in record times, mostly due not only to their immense power but there incredible intelligence. So I'm going to tell you what I told them...While you may have a vast amount of spiritual energy, you lack the skill to tap into it at will and bend and channel it to even your smallest whim. While I could very well teach you any incantation to any spell there is, if you were to somehow, without training mind you, open your wells of power to the spell, all that power, which could be a powerful tool, would be turned against you and quite possibly would ultimately destroy you."

Onabara paused letting this sink in, so he knew that Sentaro was understanding. "People like you can't be trained like everyone else. You would constantly be hindered and would never achieve your true potential. So your training evolution will also be altered." Sentaro was confused at this.

"Sensei, what do you mean altered? Why?" he asked.

"Usually we spend the first 4-5 months teaching the students how to tap into there spiritual power at will and employ it on others along with other academic pursuits. You demonstrated that you can not only do this, but did this without realizing you were even doing it, which is far more dangerous in a way."

Onabara stated. "But for today lets not worry about this," He said resuming his walk into the building. It was lit with a soft light, but it was still dark because of the time. After walking through a foyer and picking out a new bokken they exited into a massive warehouse-like room which was easily 4 stories tall.

"This is where everyone new practices Zanjutsu, and so will you." Onabara said smiling that trademark smile of his.

"So, who will I be sparring with Sensei?"

"Me."

"You?"

"Are you disappointed?" The older man said feigning insult.

"No no, I'm honored its just..."

"Just what?"

"Sensei..., you'll destroy me." Sentaro stated quite frankly.

"Nonsense, I won't be battling you in earnest, no offense mean't of course, but I will merely be a moving target for you to practice the forms."

"Ohhh...so what forms will I be learning today?" Sentaro asked casually getting excited to learn something practical on the first day, having already done some self study.

"All of them."

"Oh...WHAT?! Sensei you can't honestly expect-"

"Ahh but I can expect. A "prodigy" such as yourself, if you indeed consider yourself one, should find no problem with this." He said with a smile plastered on his face as per usual.

Sentaro thought and chose his next words carefully. "Sensei, I'm honored you think so highly of me but do you honestly expect me to master all of the Zanjutsu techniques in a single day? What makes you think i am a "prodigy"."

"Hahaha, Sentaro, I'm not looking for mastery, I'm looking for understanding, as long as you can do the basic forms then you'd be doing exceptional."

'Okay, that's not bad' Sentaro thought to himself.

After a grueling training session which consisted of Onabara demonstrating every form there was in three hour time period, Sentaro, with an already saturated mind, went to the start of his normal academic studies.

-TIMESKIP-about 3 week later-

A few weeks later Sentaro was in the mist of a particularly intense bout between him and Onabara-sensei. In just five days Sentaro had mastered the art of Zanjutsu and for the last sixteen he had spent trying to land a single blow on Onabara-sensei, without success.

In the first week, both of them discovered to their surprises, that Sentaro was a very gifted individual. With an uncanny knack for picking up forms. By the end of the second week he had all but mastered them it seemed, a feat any normal student would hope to accomplish mid-way through their third year.

And it was only just yesterday that he began modifying forms, which is odd. Because usually, students who master all the forms have a hard time doing anything tactical, and stick to forms, which is a weakness. Onabara was pleased with this, though not shocked, genius's such as Sentaro's like usually figured out how to do this early on. But even with his unpredictability, Sentaro was still unable to land a strike on Onabara, much to Sentaro's disappointment.

Sentaro came at Onabara at a diagonal offset, swinging upward, then mid-swing changing directions to try and catch him off guard. Yet another miss. 'Damn it! No matter what I do or what technique I utilize, I cant land a single blow!' Sentaro came back around and went to pull the same maneuver, but feinted and tried a combo that he had come up with on the spot, inverting his bokken and jabbing whilst sweeping in a diagonal reverse C-shaped arc. Onabara had not only avoided the combo, but countered the last jab holding Sentaro's bokken in a blade lock.

"You almost got me that time, however once again your movements coupled with your slow form transition telegraph exactly what your intentions are, though I must say that last one surprised me, I don't believe I taught you that one?"

(A/N: Why is it when I'm writing the dialouge for him, Onabara has a slight English accent in my head..He is just so sassy for a old guy and it would be so awesome!)

Sentaro smirked slightly, "Did you make it up? *Tsk Tsk Tsk* Getting desperate aren't we?" Onabara said with his sweet smile. Needless to say, the smirk on Sentaro's face had been wiped clean off.

Tired of his sensei's' obvious taunts Sentaro rebutted. "You're pretty long-winded old man, you certainly talk a tough game, yet you have yet to strike me either!" Sentaro finished disengaging from the lock and putting a reactionary distance between himself and Sensei.

"Ouch, Sentaro you hurt my feelings," Onabara said mockingly, "you're getting pretty mouthy as well. And another thing, for your information you silly boy, if I wanted to, I could end this in mere seconds."

"I AM NOT SILLY!" He burst out, but quickly regained his composure, but then seemingly an after thought, "And don't call me boy!"

"Oh, but on the contrary, you are acting rather like a spoiled child who didn't get the toy he wanted at the town market right now, are you not?" Sensei quipped back.

Losing his temper, Sentaro rushed toward Onabara, bringing his blade up he brought down a flurry of slashes, jabs, and threw in a couple hilt strikes( a trick he had picked up earlier in the week from Sensei) However Onabara Sensei countered all of his attacks and finally, as if growing tired deflected one last blow then brought his bokken up into Sentaro's chin utilizing a seemingly miniscule lapse in his guard, knocking Sentaro back across the room. Sentaro recovering from the blow got back up fuming and raised his guard and after a few seconds he took a deep breath and lowered his guard.

"Sentaro, why are you lowering your guard?" Onabara questioned.

"It's pointless, no matter what I do, I won't hit you. I admit defeat."

"So your quitting?"

"Why even try, your just too-"

"How disgusting..." Onabara said contemptuously. The sudden change of character caught Sentaro off-guard. Moments before he had been playfully mocking him and now,...now Sentaro thought he detected an unbelievable seriousness in his tone. He looked up in disbelief.

"What did you just say?"

"Quiet! If you're going to quit now you might as well just leave the Academy." He said harshly. Sentaro was shocked speechless "I'm leaving, you aren't worthy to spar with me, you pathetic, weak, child." He turned, walking away from Sentaro.

Sentaro couldn't believe what he had heard and he stooped his head clinching hard on the wooden sword. 'That.. that bastard... I'm not weak' The air around him changed and became charged with a chilly force, that seemed to chill your very bones and Onabara could certainly feel it...'I'm not weak'...Onabara turned slowly to see something that shocked him; Sentaro was surrounded by a thick menacing miasma-like black reiatsu tinged with purple aura.

"Oh dear, what have we here?" Onabara said curiously. Onabara had hoped goading him would strengthen his resolve and slightly anger him, to push him farther and stregthen him...but not to this extent. For a moment he began to try and analyze the reiatsu to detemine its properties and power depth, but it defied all of his attempts, which worried him.

From somewhere deep inside Sentaro, as deep as he could possibly imagine, a voice rang out... and it spoke to him. (A/N: Okay, for the voice think Freiza from DBZ, but with a snakey quality.)

'Maybe he is right, you are rather weak and pathetic aren't you...' This voice...it was mocking him too...

"I-I am not weak..." Sentaro choked out, speaking passed the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Oh, did the poor weakling just say something? Even the way you talk is pathetic."

"I am not weak." Sentaro spoke to it firmly.

'Are you about to cry?! HAHA you digust me.' the voice taunted more outrageously obnoxious than before.

"I Am Not Weak." Sentaro ground out, growing increasingly annoyed with the voice.

Almost in response the voice laughed louder and fuller, echoing in his mind with a cacaphonic reverberation.

"I AM NOT WEAK!" Sentaro roared, his reiatsu flaring and buffeting, breaking the windows of the building and cracking the wooden floors.

Onabara looked on with shocked awe. 'So this is his true power' Onabara mused. Before Onabara could think another thought a wave of pain hit him in his abdomen, his eyes going wide, bending over to keep from falling, feeling nauseous. He began hacking and what was coming up was unbelievably startling to him...blood. Onabara regained himself as much as possible and looked back at Sentaro, still hanging his head. Slowly Sentaro looked up, a calm, calculating new look in his eyes that Onabara had not seen in him during training in the last week, or even since they met. And it truly gave him a twinge of fear what he saw this look to be. Hatred. Pure Unyielding Hatred. The kind that massacred villages, men, women, and children and laughed. Hatred that was scarcely ever seen more than once in a lifetime, if that. Onabara had seen this look before in the eyes of many-a-warlord during the times after the then fledgling Gotei 13's formation.

"I am not weak Sensei."Sentaro spoke softly and calmly, almost taking a soothing tone, but the words conveyed something far more menacing. Then, gripping his bokken in both hands, Sentaro moved, disappearing.

Onabara was shocked, his only thought 'Shunpo!?' a second before a bone-jarring blow contacted his face, knocking him back to the wall. Onabara stumbled back to his feet after a few seconds and stood bewildered and aghast. 'What have I awaken?' He looked towards Sentaro and saw the the bokken had shattered from the impact. Sentaro looked at the ruined weapon before tossing it aside. Sentaro held out his hand and a flicker of an afterimage appeared and it seem to be made purely of spiritual energy...and it was as katana. A sudden wave of horror washed over Onabara just before another round of bloody hacking racked his body; he didn't know what was causing this, but he had his suspicions, and if he were correct, time was running out for him. Onabara knew then and there he had to end this quickly before things got out of hand and Sentaro fully manifested the ethereal blade.

Onabara imposed the control limit reiatsu for Sentaro on the sparring chamber, Sentaro stood their, and almost in response to Onabara's attempt began laughing a maniacal and uncontrolled laugh, and at the same time started walking, with purpose, toward him. The blade was almost fully formed. Onabara steadying himself and reached deep within and imposed all of his force on the room and this brought Sentaro down on one knee, making him falter. Onabara, realizing he probably wouldn't have another such opportunity, quickly flash stepped, then, taking his bokken's hilt-cap he struck the nerve at the back base of Sentaro's head knocking him out cold. Instantly the room's oppressive atmoshere lessened and the the chill receded. With Sentaro neutralized only one thought ruled him which he vocalized. "What power do you have within you, Sentaro?"

The next morning Sentaro awoke in an infirmary with a slight head-ache throbbing deep in his brain. The medical staff in the room approached him.

"Mr. Kisaki, are you feeling alright?" One of the nurses spoke.

"Yeah I suppose." Said Sentaro who was feeling unsure.

"Thats very good, because Mr. Onabara would like to speak with you if you are feeling up to it." The nurse said with a sweet smile

"I think I am well enough to see him." Sentaro responded to the nurse.

"Very well, then I shall send for him immediately." with that the nurses all turned and left the room leaving Sentaro to his thoughts. 'What happened yesterday?' Minutes past while he tried to recall how he got here or even why he was here. While Sentaro was still trying to figure out why he couldn't remember he looked at the calendar and noticed it had skipped a day since he last saw the date and realized he had forgotten a whole day, Onabara walked in the room with a few bandages around his jaw. Seeing that Sentaro was indeed awake he smiled brightly.

"Ahh Sentaro, I'm glad you are awake, I feared permanant damage might have been done."

"Permanant damage? From what?" Sentaro asked with a bewildered look on his face.

Onabara walked over to the side of his bed and looked at him and asked, "You mean you don't remember?"

-Time Skip-6 months later-

He exceled in everything presented before him. To compare him to others of his year, would be unfair for the rest. His martial skills were nothing short of prodigious and this kido was inspirational to say the least, to which the Kido Corps had already taken note of, however Gengoro had in no uncertain terms told them that becoming one of their "glorified spellcasters" would be a waste of incredible talent. And to top it off, The SouTachio himself had taken to asking if Sentaro was able to shadow shinigami on missions to the human world, which surprised Gengoro. While Gengoro has written to the Captain Commander that he wasn't ready, Onabara was sure that he was close. Of course all of this had transpired to the ignorance of Sentaro of course, not wanting to distract him from his studies. Onabara was starting to become sure that Kisake might give Ichimaru a run for his money in terms of raw talent and ingenuity. These were the musing of the Gengoro Onabara during a crisp Fall night however it would not go uninterupted.

The door to Gengoro Onabara's office burst open suddenly, when he looked up he saw a dirty looking Sentaro, sweating and short of breath,but with a brilliant smile.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your company at this hour Sentaro?"

"I-...I was-...I was-!" Sentaro was trying to get out, obviously failling, while pointing in the general direction of the forest.

"Slow down, take a few deep breaths, then tell me what is so important that you came to see me at this late hour." Onabara said.

After taking a few seconds to steady his breathing Sentaro grew a foot in height with pride and proclaimed, "I did it! I heard him! I spoke with him!" then as a after-thought with apprehension rather than excitement he said, "He is a bit of an dick though.."

"...a "dick"...?"

"What?! He is! When he finally responded to me, he kept telling me how "unworthy" I am! Where does he get off? He was so pompous and-"

"Yes, yes but did he mention his name at all?" Onabara inquired persistently.

" Yes! I mean, No, I did ask though, he told me I wasn't fit to even hear the utterance of his name. -"

'You dare to insult me! You aren't even worthy to be able to hear me speak you pissant child!" The zanpakuto spirit said interupting Sentaro.

"Ahhh What the hell, I can hear him? But I'm not even meditating?" Sentaro said whining then becoming curious.

"Yes, did I not mention that once you are able to hear your zanpakuto spirit, you can hear them whenever they are want to speak, and you can commune with him just as easily."

"*sigh* That would have been nice to know." Sentaro said in a defeated tone of voice.

"Yes I apologize for not warning you and I do wish you the best of luck in getting to know your zanpakuto, however it is getting quite late, you still have to be up for a sparring session."

"Yes I suppose it is rather late, goodnight Sensei." Sentaro said walking out the office.

"Goodnight Sentaro."

-Timeskip-The next day-

Over the last half year, Sentaro had really come into his own. Even with his accelerated curriculum, Sentaro had all but finished every course handed to him within days, that was coupled with the enormous growth in his practical skills, which Gengoro was one part in disbelief to believe and one part prideful, that Sentaro was beginning to keep pace with him, and often leaving him, The Gengoro Onabara, winded in sparring. Such a feat hadn't been seen since Gin Ichimaru came through his tutelage. In light of his rapidly growing zanjutsu skill in tandem with his need for bonding with his zanpakuto who he had had only been able to have a few words with, Gengoro sent Sentaro a message the previous day that they would be using their zanpakutos instead of their bokkens.

Sentaro arrived at the meditation pond fifteen minutes before the arranged time. He had his had his zanpakuto hung low on his waist, and was resting his arm upon it. He called out to the spirit of his zanpakuto until Onabara-sensei arrived, but it was as futile as his previous attempts. When his Sensei arrived they both turned towards the forest and set off into it.

Practically unable to hold off the question that had been buzzing in his mind since he had recieved the message with the change in time and meeting place yesterday, Sentaro asked the question in what he hoped was a conversational manner.

"So sensei, where exactly are we goin'?"

"The sparring hall is for sparring with bokkens, there is an out door facility about 400 yards in the direction we are walking; the more advanced underclassmen and the upperclassmen use it for sparring with their zanpakuto." It was at this point that Sentaro noticed Onabara-senseis...unique zanpakuto.

"Sensei, what is that?"

Onabara looked down not understand and then realised what Sentaro had meant. "This," He said grasping the hilt on his waist," is My zanpakuto." He drew in a simple flourish, its curved blade gleaming in the light (A/N: Its a shamshir) "And her name is Miyabita Shikon."

"Why is it shaped differently from mine?"

"After you learn your zanpakutos' name and obtain shikai, when your zanpakuto reverts to a sealed form after that first time, it sometimes takes on a unique sealed state." As he said this they stepped out from the forest into a large clearing, which Sentaro guessed was at least a mile in all directions. Continuing out further into the clearing, they placed a distance between each other.

"You are are well trained, as such, you will demonstrate control in addition to power and technique. You are not allowed to allow the blade to cut me in anyway, as I am not allowed to cut you." Onabara said looking at Sentaro. When Sentaro nodded,showing that he understood, Gengoro assumed a ready stance.

In a slow and calculated movement, Sentaro drew his zanpakuto out of its' sheathe. Midway through the draw, Sentaro flash-stepped to his opponent's flank and quickly brought his blade down to where his sensei was standing, but Onabara quickly blocked the blow with his own blade. Using the blocks momentum, Onabara slide his sword along the edge to try and circumvent Sentaro's blade, the unique weapon's curvature aiding this tactic. However, Sentaro saw what he was doing and with a flick of the wrist batted Gengoro's blade away. Having thrown the blade off center, Sentaro took a step inside of Onabara's stance to try and push him off balance with the momentum of his blade, but Gengoro countered with an equally well-timed outside step which placed them back-to-back.

Almost in unison, both combatants swiftly pivoted and struck at one another, blades once again clashing with a resounding clang. For the next few minutes things continued in this manner with one person making a frontal assault, expecting to be repelled, anticipating and reacting to the others counter-strike. Sentaro could already see the beginning of the usual cat and mouse game they played. Neither one of them giving any ground, and neither one taking any either. A regular stalemate, as usual.

After a certain point in his training, Sentaro had figured out that Onabara-sensei had stopped taking him lightly and began actually sparring. But neither could take victory. In between studying what little curriculum he had left and his meditations and sparring sessions, Sentaro thought endless on how he might take victory. He had replayed in his mind every sparring session he had recently had with his teacher. But he could find no fault in either his or his mentors' guard. Meaning, that in terms of zanjutsu alone, they were a match. "For now." He had thought begrudingly at the time. As jubilant as Sentaro had been when he reached his conclusion, it was also bittersweet. It had meant that Sentaro would likely never gain a true victory over his Sensei. But he would not give up and in every movement, strike, and counterstrike he strove towards the ultimate goal of attaining victory.

Sentaro had tried everything he could concieve of to wrest this victory for himself. He had tried going back to basics, pain-stakingly perfecting his already near perfect form, and even changing his style, which on that particular day earned him a large bruise on his arms and sides. But while this bolt of a thought crossed his mind, almost unbidden, the words of his teacher came to his mind. 'Do not seek beauty in battle. Do not seek virtue in death. Do not make the mistake of considering only your own life. If you wish to protect that which you must protect...slice the enemy you must defeat from behind.'

One singular phrase struck his mind, 'Do not make the mistake of considering your own life.' The weight of the words laid heavy on his mind, considering their significance, mulling them over as one would analyze the flavor of a particular rare wine vintage. In an instance he realised there might be a way to seize victory from an impossible battle.

Sentaro had just finished parrying an onslaught of blows from Onabara-sensei. It had been less defending and more a well practiced response to a all too familar action. But what if his response were to be anything but normal. What if it was, downright, irrational. Allowing his guard to drop ever so slightly and taking shallower breaths, feigning fatigue, he wondered if Onabara sensei would take the bait.

Of course this wouldn't escape his mentor's well-trained eye, and thinking to seize a victory which had not been achieved for quite some time, Onabara-sensei struck swiftly to punish this pervieved lapse on Sentaro's part. But it was all apart of the trap Sentaro had just come up with moments before.

As Gengoro halted what would have been a lethal strike to Sentaro's neck he spoke, "You should know better than to leave a chink in your armor, If we had been truly fighting you would be dead, your head hewn from your neck."

"Very true Sensei, but if you will look at your surroundings, you might see the precarious position you find yourself in." Onabara looked at his surroundings, with a shocked expression, he noticed the tip of Sentaro's blade held over the place where his heart was, hovering in place at what would have been an equally lethal stab. He realised that had his been a real fight, Sentaro's blade thrust would have pierced his heart before his own stroke would have fell.

Taking a step back, Gengoro openly smiled and laughed that signature laugh of his, long and full-hearted. "Very well, I concede defeat." He said through his joyous laughter.

Sentaro was about to respond that the victory was only possible through applying what he had taught him, but he never got that chance, he just stood there, mouth agape at what he had just heard. It wasn't Onabara he was speechless over, it was the voice that resounded deep from within him that left him in such a state.

"Be honored, that a welp like you could best such a skilled warrior on your own merit. Be honored, that a welp like you can call yourself the wielder of Kage no Akki."


End file.
